Monto, Queensland

Monto is a town in Queensland, Australia, located on the Burnett Highway 500km north-west of Brisbane and 235km south of Rockhampton. The town was the administrative centre of Monto Shire. At the 2006 census, Monto had a population of 1,159.HistoryEuropeans settled in the area in the late 1840s, maintaining large pastoral holdings at the northern end of the Burnett Valley. Gold unearthed along Three Moon Creek — a tributary of the Burnett River — in the 1870s attracted further settlers. The original site of the diggings, 30km north of present-day Monto, has since been flooded by construction of Cania Dam. The township of Monto was not formally established until 1924 in which year the post office opened. With dwindling gold reserves, Monto turned its economy towards farming and logging, two of the region's major industries today. Deposits of thermal coal and limestone have been discovered in the shire.FacilitiesMonto has a public library, a cultural and historical complex with a museum reserve, sporting facilities, swimming pool and golf clubHeritage listingsMonto has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: Yarrol Road, Ventnor: Ventnor State SchoolTourismTourism is also a major industry in the region. Besides being a major highway town, the chief local attractions are Cania Gorge National Park and Cania Dam, 20km north of town.